Valve actuating mechanism



INVENTOR. Gla EfEUT'L M.El arm as ATTORNEY G. M. BARNES VALVE ACTUATING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 21, 1951 March 1932.

Patented Mar. 8, 1932 GLADEON IVL BARNES, OF THE UNITED STATES ABMY, HASTINGS, MICHIGAN VALVE ACTUATING MECHANISM Application filed September 21, 1931. Serial No. 564,057.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1883, AS AMENDED APRIL 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for govermnental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to valve actuating mechanism, and more particularly, it has reference to a valve actuating mechanism for a gas-operated recoil and recuperator mechanism for guns. s

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel arrangement where by valves controlling the delivery of gases to and from a cylinder may be simultaneously adjusted upon elevation and depression of the cylinder.

To these and other ends, the invention coni sists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements described hereinafter and pointed out 1n the claims forming a part of this specification.

One method of carrying out the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing which is a more or less diagrammatic illustration in the nature of a longitudinal sectional view of a recoil and recuperator mechanism.

Referring to the drawing by numerals of reference, there is shown a cradle 5 in which is reciprocally mounted a gun represented only by the gun lug 6. A recoil and recuperator cylinder 7 is secured to the gun lug so that it partakes of the movement of the gun in recoil and counter-recoil. The cylinder is adapted to receive a portion of the gases of discharge which as generally indicated are delivered through a passage 8, past a valve 9, and then through an inlet 10.

Within th cylinder is a hollow piston rod 11 secured at its forward extremity to an element of the cradle. The piston head 12 is spaced from the end of the cylinder to con stitute a buffer chamber 13 and is provided with a passage 14 and valve 15 to permit a controlled admission of gases into thebuffer chamber whence they may escape through an adjustable relief valve 16 and cooling chamber 17. The valve 15 has a reduced inner end 18 engageable in the forked end of a rod 19 mounted within the hollow piston rod 11 and projecting from the forward end thereof to be associated with a bevel gear 20 supported in a gear box 21 at the forward end of the cradle.

The gear 20 meshes with the intermediate gear 22 on a countershaft 23 which is driven from a main shaft 24-. The main shaft is controlled by gearing 25 in a well known manner when the cradle is elevated, the purpose being to effect an adjustment and regulate the rate of flow of gases according to the elevation of the gun.

Also mounted in the gear box 21 is a combination gear wheel 26 having a central aperture 27 to accommodate the rod 19 and including a bevel gear 28 meshing with an end gear 29 on the countershaft 23 and a spur gear 30 meshing with a pinion 31 fast on the end of a rod 32. The rod is of a length in excess of the length of recoil of the gun so that it is always in driving engagement with a pinion 33 carried by the recoiling parts. The pinion 33 meshes with an idler 34 which in turn meshes with a pinion 35 splined on the valve 9. The valve 9 is threadedly mounted in a nut 36 which is held against rotation by a pin 37. Other features of the valve form no part of the present invention. If more than one valve 9 is provided the drive can be supplied through the idler 34.

By virtue of the arrangement herein disclosed the main shaft 24 is employed to simultaneously effect adjustment of the valve 9 controlling the delivery of gases to the cylinder 7 and of the valve 15 controlling the delivery of gases to the buffer chamber 13.

I claim:

1. In a gun, a cylinder movable with the gun, an inlet valve for admitting gases of discharge to the cylinder, a stationary piston in the cylinder, a valve in the head of the piston, a gear box on one end of the cylinder, a rod within the piston and extending from the valve thereof into the gear box, a gear in the box connected to the rod, a second gear in the box embracing the rod, a train of gearing connecting the second gear with the inlet valve, and means operable on elevating the gun for simultaneously driving the gears in the gear box.

2. In a gun, a cylinder movable with the gun, a valve for admitting gases of discharge to the cylinder, a stationary piston in the cylinder, a valve in the piston, and means 0perable on elevating the gun for simultaneously adjusting the valves.

3. In a gun, a cylinder movable with the gun, a valve for admitting gases of discharge to the cylinder, a stationary piston in the cylinder, a valve in the piston, and means for simultaneously adjusting the valves.

GLADEON M. BARNES. 

